Wish Upon A Star

The Second Task

The next day, Harry had filled, Ashlyn, Hermione, and Ron about his previous night's expedition. He told about how he ran into Snape, and how Moody got him out of trouble. He told them about Moody searching Snape's office. This led to an argument between Ron and Hermione, Ashlyn decided to stay out of that conversation, because she was bound to support Snape because she knew that the Moody they knew was an imposter.

But this led to another disagreement between her and Harry. 

"So, now Moody has the map," Ashlyn sighed.

"Yeah, well, he helped me. On several occasions. I couldn't just not give him," Harry said exasperatedly.

"It's alright," Ashlyn said dismissively. Thank Merlin the Marauders were smart. Thank heavens the map didn't show the RoR. Nor would it show her in her animagus form, until the person checking it knew about it. She'll have to thank Remus and Sirius sometime for doing a brilliant job. She'll thank James when she goes to heaven.

"Why do you sound disappointed?" Harry asked

"I am not disappointed," Ashlyn said dully.

"I am not stupid," Harry scoffed. "It's the same tone you used when we left the cloak on the tower back in first year,"

"Good memory, Harry," Ashlyn said sarcastically. "It would have been of great help if you had remembered it last night too,"

"I told you, I didn't have a choice," Harry snapped

"Sure," Ashlyn said. 

"What have you got against Moody, anyway?" Harry said shaking his head

"What have you got against Snape, then?" Ashlyn fired back

"Snape is well, an evil, obnoxious, bullying, partial git," Harry said with Ron nodding in the background, and Hermione facepalming.

"Evil is a strong word Harry," Ashlyn said. "And I've got nothing against Alastor Moody, and I wish he was the one teaching us, and I'll make sure to tell him just that when I meet him. I don't expect you to believe me, anyway," she snapped. Then her eyes widened.

Oh crap! She had slipped up. These days, her accidental magic was better, but her slip-ups were getting horrible. Now, she'd rather have the occasional bursts of accidental magic, than accidental bursts of information.

"What is that even supposed to mean?" Harry said

"It is supposed to mean that I have a bad feeling about him," Ashlyn said. She was thrashing herself inside her head. How stupid could she possibly get?

"Really, Ash? A bad feeling," Harry asked incredulously.

"Well, my bad feelings were always right weren't they? Quirrell, Lockhart," Ashlyn said

"At that time you had a shred of evidence at least, not just a 'bad feeling'," Harry pointed out.

Oh well, it was true. But how was she supposed to get evidence against the Moody imposter? He was too careful that he had even fooled Dumbledore. Plus, she was trying to save Cedric from possible death by a certain Dark Lord-who-will-rise-to-power-later-that-year-starting-a-wizarding-war's servant.

"You believe whatever you want," Ashlyn said and she got up and left without the others.

Harry didn't talk to her after that. Ron decided to stick with Harry but occasionally would come over to her to get her to see sense.

"Listen, Ashlyn. Really? Come on. Harry was just ticked off, you know. You did sound really condescending," Ron had said

"Condescending? Condescending? Ha! Okay, I admit. I was frustrated. But Harry's being a jerk. And if you are here to tell how right Harry was to get mad at me, then leave," Ashlyn had snapped.